


A Forever Love

by tirsynni



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:48:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23917801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tirsynni/pseuds/tirsynni
Summary: She was two and he was ten when they first met. He crept too incautiously and she almost broke his jaw.
Relationships: Epona & Link (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 164





	A Forever Love

**Author's Note:**

> Take heed of the "Choose Not to Use Archive Warnings." See the end notes for warnings.

Lady, Princess Zelda’s horse, was a good mare from a long, noble stock. She was elegant and calm and never fussed when strangers drew near or people decorated her mane, tail, or even her face. She was lovely and peaceful and perfect for a princess.

For a princess, not a battleground. Only Link’s quick reflexes kept Zelda from flying through the air when Lady reared, shrieking. Perfect for a princess, for being shown off, for carrying Princess Zelda past crowds and courtiers, but never meant to endure the smell of fresh corpses, the screaming and fleeing masses of people running into her, the Guardians charging forward in a murderous rush and making the world burn around them.

“My father --”

“Is dead, Princess! We must go!”

Epona was a good mare, but her line was unknown. Link caught her and tamed her and she taught him through sharp hoof and hard teeth how to best ride a wild mare like her. She was a horse meant for battle and blood, and she didn’t flinch when Link hauled Princess Zelda onto her back and urged her forward. Even as fire raged around them and blood coated her hooves, Epona stayed calm and galloped in the direction Link directed.

Even with Zelda’s unexpected weight, even with death and madness raging around them, Link and Epona moved smoothly together. She dodged around obstacles and leaped over burning fences and lifeless bodies. Link held on with legs alone and fired shot after shot at the swarming Guardians until his quiver was empty. Then he held Princess Zelda and he held Epona and they rode.

She was two and he was ten when they first met. He crept too incautiously and she almost broke his jaw. She was alone in the hills east of Sanidin Park, separated from her family, and he was alone due to a destiny he didn’t yet understand. Link called her  _ Epona _ after an ancient Zoran goddess and swore to care for her until the end.

Princess Zelda and Link made it all the way to the Sacred Ground before Lady fled and it was clear that there were no survivors at the castle. Link ran out of arrows when they passed what used to be the Exchange. Link wrapped a protective arm around Princess Zelda and used that hand to hold the reins, the Master Sword glowing blue in his other hand. Epona stomped and Link stabbed whatever monster came too close to them.

Revali mocked Epona as a four-legged beast until he used his Gale too close to her and she kicked him out of the sky. Urbosa offered her fresh fruit from the desert and compared her to the Gerudo’s beloved sandseals. For reasons Link never quite understood, Mipha offered Epona special treats whenever they met, whispering in her ear and petting her mane. Mipha was Epona’s favorite outside of Link. 

No matter how hard they rode, Link pushing Epona like never before, the Guardians refused to give up their chase. Zelda wept apologies on Link’s arm and into Epona’s hair --  _ Me, they’re after me _ \-- and the only solace either Link or Epona could provide was escape. Whenever Link pushed her too hard before, Epona would snort and snap, but Epona galloped now, silently and ceaselessly, the scent of death too strong around them to slow down.

They rode southeast toward Fort Hateno, toward Kakariko, no actual plan in place but to flee. From Hyrule Field, they saw the skies light up to east, to the north, to the southwest and northwest. From the Sheikah Slate clasped to Zelda’s breast, the SOS’s slowly grew: one, two, three. Soon after the fourth began, they all silenced. Red burned in the skies. Zelda screamed and Link paled but didn’t weep. Oblivious, Epona charged on.

Smoke covered the open field. The Dueling Peaks loomed in the distance, a clear destination. By the time they reached what used to be the East Post, Epona was panting and Zelda’s sobs had quieted to trembling weeping. There were no signs of survivors in the flames.

When Link became a Champion, became Princess Zelda’s Knight, he discarded almost everything from his past except Epona. He threw away his voice, his independence, his dreams, all to support and defend his princess. He let everything fall away except Epona.

_ When Princess Zelda wasn’t looking at him, determined to pretend her Knight didn’t exist, Link leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Epona’s neck, letting her warmth and familiar scent soothe him. By the time Princess Zelda turned around to snap at him for following her, Link sat straight again, expressionless. _

They made it past the Hills of Baumer when a Guardian charged down the hillside. There was no warning: Evil’s Bane glowing blue since they entered Hyrule Field. They were galloping, Epona panting, Zelda shaking, Link silent, when there was an explosion of light and Link’s world fell away. The trio tumbled to the ground and Link leaped to his feet and charged, exhausted and running on adrenaline and instinct. He reflected the Guardian’s next attack back with his cracked shield and hammered away at the monster until its hellish red lights died.

The obvious never occurred to him until Zelda whispered, “Link.”

Link turned and time stopped. His breath froze in his throat. Epona met his eyes and whinnied softly, and for the first time since the madness began, tears burned Link’s eyes. He stumbled forward where Zelda cradled Epona’s head on her lap.

“Link,” Zelda said again, enough grief to drown the world, but Link didn’t notice. He stroked Epona’s trembling neck and hummed soothingly at her. She whickered back. He carefully didn’t look at the wound on her side.

“Link,” Zelda repeated, and her voice shook. Link didn’t stop petting Epona, didn’t look away from her eyes. They were wide and dark, and Epona didn’t look away from him, either. “Link, we need to go. I’m sorry, but we need to go. They’re coming.”

Tears streamed down Zelda’s face. Link’s own face stayed dry. In the distance, he heard the Guardians charging like he hadn’t heard the one from the hill. Epona’s ear flickered toward the field, and she whinnied at him.

Now a tear fell. Link held out the Master Sword again and leaned forward, kissing Epona’s forehead. Her white hair tickled his nose. “I’m sorry,” he breathed.

“ _ I’ll join you soon. _ ”

Afterwards, he closed her eyes. He didn’t look back when he grabbed Zelda’s hand and ran into the forest. 

xoxoxox

_ Oh, you are such a brave horse, aren’t you, my lovely? Do not fear, dear heart. For such a loyal and courageous horse, your story will not end here. _

_ You will be together soon. _

xoxoxox

A hundred years passed, and Link hummed to himself, following the path suggested to him at Highland Stable. Even after sleeping overnight at the stable, he was exhausted. The path itself was quiet, small blue birds singing to him as he passed, and for the first time in days, he found himself relaxing. The warm sunshine soothed his aching bones, eased the tiredness which haunted him. No monsters, no dead Guardians staring at him. Just a quiet path and the sunshine.

A little more exploring and then he would look for the region’s tower. Just a small rest… A couple minutes to breathe.

Then Link saw her. Link froze. Through all of his travels, never had he seen such a vision. His breath caught. His jaw dropped. 

The horse was  _ beautiful _ .

She stood alone, quietly munching grass by the old wooden bridge. Even when Link tentatively stepped forward and a branch cracked under his foot, she didn’t flinch. She calmly raised her head and stared back at him. Link was entranced.

Her coat was a shining russet, her mane and tail pure white. When she met his gaze, her eyes were large and dark and deep, and Link thought he could drown in them. Never had he seen such an amazing horse. Surely even a century ago there had been no horse like the one in front of him.

“Hello,” Link breathed.

Impossibly, the horse whickered back. Even more impossibly, the horse trotted toward him. Link couldn’t move, could only stare in awe.

When she walked before him and gently bumped his head with hers, Link knew then he would love this horse for the rest of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: animal death (but she gets better); violence to animals
> 
> For more fics and fandom, check out my [tumblr](https://tirsynni.tumblr.com/). :D


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